Mike,
How big is the grin on your dial?
Dan
Pretty honkin' big I can tell you. It's pretty emotional for me to see her like this. We've been together nearly 29 years and she's never looked better!
My 404C resto begins!
- Thread starter Mike Tippett
- Start date
Pretty honkin' big I can tell you. It's pretty emotional for me to see her like this. We've been together nearly 29 years and she's never looked better!
Hi Mike, your car looks fantastic. We arrived back last week after a tremendous trip through Canada and USA. Lovely to meet you both and to see your 404c. Don't scratch it fitting the mechanical bits to it.
Regards Graham
Hi Graham, it was great to get together with you and the other 5!
I will be as careful as is possible when reassembling the 404C, don't worry. It took a LONG time for the paint to be done, but it was worth the wait.
I will be as careful as is possible when reassembling the 404C, don't worry. It took a LONG time for the paint to be done, but it was worth the wait.
Beautiful! Can't wait to see this come together.
Visited the car today. She was outside, they're letting the paint off-gas. Three colour coats were applied and after they are finished curing over the weekend, the wet blocking will begin. Once it's mirror smooth, three clear coats will be applied, with final wet blocking. Then she'll be done!
The colour is darker than the "official" Peugeot dark blue 1057, and I am glad for that. The darker colour really highlights the lines and makes the car look a bit more mysterious and perhaps more dignified? OK maybe I am biased, hehe. With the brightwork added, it really should pop.
The deep blue paint has been applied today!
Reminder: This engine bay photo was taken in sunlight and it looks much brighter in this type of light.
There are a few more on the restoration page, under "paint": Paint
Gorgeous colour! Love it when paint has a few different 'shades' when in light, or not.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Thursday I borrowed my friend Rob Conway's truck and brought the suspension down to Victoria. The car was outside on its cart, looking mirror smooth everywhere. The work is really impeccable. Amazing, worth every dollar.
So I helped Pat Higgins, the metal worker who did the body reconstruction, mount the suspension under the 404C. It was a bit of an operation and we used the car's original jack mounts to help us lift the body high enough to get the suspension underneath. She looks good sitting on her wheels and XAS tires now.
Friday she gets a final polish and final touches and either Friday PM or Saturday she should be coming home on the flatbed.
I loaded the photos at a different site this time, so click on the image to see it in full size.
So I helped Pat Higgins, the metal worker who did the body reconstruction, mount the suspension under the 404C. It was a bit of an operation and we used the car's original jack mounts to help us lift the body high enough to get the suspension underneath. She looks good sitting on her wheels and XAS tires now.
Friday she gets a final polish and final touches and either Friday PM or Saturday she should be coming home on the flatbed.
I loaded the photos at a different site this time, so click on the image to see it in full size.
Mike,
The more I see of your car's colour the more I like it. Depending on the light the depth of colour changes.
Bit concerned about your front wheel alignment. Looks as though you have a little too much toe-out. Ha Ha.
It is going to be thing of beauty when finished.
Cheers,
Dan
The more I see of your car's colour the more I like it. Depending on the light the depth of colour changes.
Bit concerned about your front wheel alignment. Looks as though you have a little too much toe-out. Ha Ha.
It is going to be thing of beauty when finished.
Cheers,
Dan
She came home to me today:
I got the last of the painted parts back from the restoration shop: under bumper spoiler/air deflector (semi-matt black), front bumper filler panel (dark blue), grille for fresh air intake (dark blue), body number (painted blue tag with stencil numbers)
Plated parts (main batch) are back. Bumpers are not plated but rather are stainless steel. They are now straightened and polished beautifully. Door handles are rechromed pot metal, and perfect. Taillight bezels are also rechromed pot metal and although the plater was apologizing for their finish, it's very, very good - 9/10 - and excellent considering the bad starting condition. The grille surround was rechromed too because the chrome on the upper lip was getting grainy.
All the silver-looking stuff is plated in cadmium as it was when it was new (silver, not the greenish version).
Plated parts (main batch) are back. Bumpers are not plated but rather are stainless steel. They are now straightened and polished beautifully. Door handles are rechromed pot metal, and perfect. Taillight bezels are also rechromed pot metal and although the plater was apologizing for their finish, it's very, very good - 9/10 - and excellent considering the bad starting condition. The grille surround was rechromed too because the chrome on the upper lip was getting grainy.
All the silver-looking stuff is plated in cadmium as it was when it was new (silver, not the greenish version).
Wow I am impressed by your attention to detail.
Installed a few of the plated items. Very bright!
Hi Mike Very nice and thorough restoration I hate to think what the cost must be .Unlike everyone else I like the original colour .Nothing better than an immaculate white car Julian
I read once about a fellow named Mr. Barson in Australia who had spent 100 grand on restoring his red 404 Cabriolet. I thought at the time: "100 Grand, how is that possible!?!" I am getting closer to understanding 
Last edited:
If Dano paid himself (and his helpers) a $1/ hour and included all the OEM parts he has purchased, he probably isn't far off that figure
And the project is still in primer.
There is no ROI on a car restored for love.
I decided to do the grille Sunday. The bars are anodized aluminium and have some patina from road debris over the years. All other marks were polished off by hand, not damaging the anodizing. I then reassembled the five bars and put the brand new Peugeot crest that I bought in Sochaux in 2014 on (it came attached to a mid-sixties 403 grille). Then I reassembled it with the newly rechromed grille frame.
